London at New Year - a big no no?

[Comefromaway]

My parents have offerred to pay for a London Theatre trip for a show the family really wants to see as a present. The plan is to go between Christmas and New Year. My mum suggested that as long as hotel prices are too extortionate we should stay over New Year where I was going to avoid New Years Eve.

Will being in Central London on New Years Eve be an absolute nightmare a family of 4 with two teens but one is autistic and dh has a balance disorder. I'm assuming movement will be restricted around certain areas etc?

NY in London = lots of roads blocked off, huge crowds and everything will be very expensive.

Thats what I assumed.

My parents had a lovely NYE in a Manchester hotel one year but I think London will be very, very different. We usually stay somewhere round the Southbank, South Kensington or Covent Garden/Holborn.

Depends what you have in mind to do and when

Central London on NYE is bloody awful in my opinion. Too busy to get in anywhere unless you've booked tickets (to a bloody pub); roads closed so impossible to get anywhere; rammed with teenagers groping your arse; takes ages to get home. Mind you NYE in Sydney was crap too.

Unless you're booked into a hotel overlooking the fireworks and plan to stay there and use their facilities.

Me and my DD are going for 2 nights, NYE and NYD. Hotel wasn't extortionate, 400 for a hilton in Westminster. To be fair I'm only hoping to see the fireworks and a few other sights we haven't done before then we fly to the States early on the 2nd. Following with interest

Sounds like a nightmare time to visit for teens with autism and a DH with a balance disorder!

NY is busy and there is travel disruption for the fireworks.

With the family health problems maybe NYE should be avoided, unless the hotel is a short walk from the hotel. The heaving crowds start surprisingly early.

Tube, road and bridge closures also begin early - I came out of the National Theatre around 5pm on NYE after taking the grandchildren to see War Horse and already Hungerford bridge crossing was closed, so no access to Embankment tube. We had to walk to Waterloo instead and that station was already heaving at that early hour.

Sorry, meant to say unless the hotel is a short walk from the THEATRE.

No way, it will be carnage.

The theatre we are hoping to go to is the Noel Coward just off Leicester Square but we would probably try and see the show the day before. We always avoid Covent Garden tube as dh isn't good with the lifts there these days.

I'm thinking we go on the 27th or 28th and just stay two nights.

Will being in Central London on New Years Eve be an absolute nightmare a family of 4 with two teens but one is autistic and dh has a balance disorder.

It'll be an absolute nightmare.